Sean Williams fights lone battle for Zimbabwe as Proteas take charge at Queens Sports Club
Proteas allrounder Wiaan Mulder was the chief destroyer with the ball on the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Picture: BackpagePix
The Proteas assumed control of the first Test on the second day in Bulawayo, despite a marvellous century from Zimbabwean veteran Sean Williams at the Queens Sports Club.
Williams' 137 was the mainstay of Zimbabwe's 251 after the Proteas declared on their overnight 418/9.
The 38-year-old battled through the initial new-ball onslaught after debutant Codi Yusuf picked up his maiden Test wicket in his first over before following it up with another a couple of overs later.
Kwena Maphaka may not have tasted success, but the teenager built up a good head of steam. The teenager struck Brian Bennet flush on the helmet, which forced the Zimbabwean opener to retire hurt with concussion on 19. Prince Masvaure was the concussion substitute.
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Proteas dominate in Bulawayo despite heroic hundred from Williams
While Yusuf was able to find the same kind of disconcerting bounce the Zimbabwean seamers were able to achieve on the first day and Mulder was typically accurate, both Bosch — perhaps still stiff from his batting exploits on Saturday — and Maphaka failed to build any pressure. Williams and home skipper Craig Ervine added 91 runs for the third wicket, with Ervine playing more sedately than his senior partner. Williams is playing in just his 21st Test, and while his average of 44.94 suggests he should have played more, Zimbabwe's limited Test schedule but also Williams' run-ins with the cricket authorities in his home country, have also minimised his opportunities in the five-day format. Against the current World Test champions however, he was determined to make a point, and found the right balance between attack and defence to reach a hundred, which he celebrated with plenty of enthusiasm. Before that milestone, Ervine became Maharaj's 200th Test wicket, with Verreynne easily stumping him after the left-arm spinner had bemused the left-hand batter with a lovely flighted delivery. Maharaj is the first SA spinner to reach that landmark and the ninth SA bowler to pick up 200 wickets. It is a great reward for a cricketer who has been one of the most important Proteas players in the last decade. He made his debut as part of the side that won a series in Australia in 2016, and has been through the lows of 2019 and the highs of Lord's two weeks ago. Mulder ended a 58-run fourth-wicket partnership between Williams and Wessly Madhevere, when he trapped the latter lbw for 15. Williams, who was also hit on the head by a Maphaka bouncer, was eventually dismissed by Maharaj, with Verreynne delivering a second stumping, for a superb 137 off 164 balls that included 16 fours. Facing a first innings deficit of 167 runs Zimbabwe claimed early reward when Tanaka Chivanga had Matthew Breetzke caught in the gully for one. However Mulder on 25 and Tony de Zorzi on 22 looked secure in the last hour and the home team face an uphill battle if they are to keep SA in their sights.
IOL News
11 hours ago
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Sean Williams fights lone battle for Zimbabwe as Proteas take charge at Queens Sports Club
Proteas allrounder Wiaan Mulder was the chief destroyer with the ball on the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Picture: BackpagePix The Proteas assumed control of the first Test on the second day in Bulawayo, despite a marvellous century from Zimbabwean veteran Sean Williams at the Queens Sports Club. Williams' 137 was the mainstay of Zimbabwe's 251 after the Proteas declared on their overnight 418/9. The 38-year-old battled through the initial new-ball onslaught after debutant Codi Yusuf picked up his maiden Test wicket in his first over before following it up with another a couple of overs later. Kwena Maphaka may not have tasted success, but the teenager built up a good head of steam. The teenager struck Brian Bennet flush on the helmet, which forced the Zimbabwean opener to retire hurt with concussion on 19. Prince Masvaure was the concussion substitute.
The Citizen
11 hours ago
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Proteas firmly in control after day two of first Test against Zimbabwe
The Proteas bowled Zimbabwe out for 251 and batted for the final hour of the day to extend their lead to 216 runs. The Proteas followed up their positive batting performance on day one with a dominant bowling display on the second day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Sunday, putting them in control of the match. The South Africans declared on their overnight score of 418/9, then followed that up by dismantling the hosts for 251 despite a defiant innings from Sean Williams (137) for a lead of 167. They went out to bat in the final hour of play, reaching 49/1, for a lead of 216, before day three on Monday. Williams' defiant knock The Proteas had a good start with two early wickets (Takudzwanashe Kaitano for a duck and Nick Welch for four) thanks to debutant paceman Codi Yusuf. Rising batsman Brian Bennet looked good before he was struck on the helmet by a Kwena Maphaka bouncer on 19. Bennett was ruled out of the rest of the Test because of a mild concussion, and Prince Masvaure was named as his concussion replacement for the remainder of the game. What followed was a brilliant standalone innings from Zimbabwe veteran Williams. The 38-year-old fought through all three sessions as wickets tumbled around him, finally falling as the ninth wicket for 137 runs off 164 balls. Little support from other Zim batsmen Williams was only really backed by his captain, Craig Ervine (36), who stuck around for a 91-run partnership that appeared to even the odds before Ervine fell to Maharaj, who finished with 3–70. Wiaan Mulder was the chief destroyer of the lower order, finishing with 4–50 while Yusuf returned good debut figures of 3–42. Aside from Williams and Ervine, no other Zimbabwe batsman reached the 20s. The Proteas top order held on against the new ball in the dying light of the day. Only Matthew Breetzke fell for one run. Tony de Zorzi and Mulder finished on 22 and 25, respectively. ALSO READ: 'Just the beginning,' says Pretorius after hitting 153 on debut for Proteas
